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Big and ‘fiery’ Jamieson to rein in aggro

In-form Black Caps seamer would be forced to sit out a test match or two white-ball matches if he’s hit with another ICC Code of Conduct breach anytime soon, writes Brendon Egan.

BLACK Caps coach Gary Stead believes Kyle Jamieson is becoming an easy target for match officials because of his towering height — and says he’s not the lone offender in world cricket.

New Zealand will look to rein in Jamieson’s aggressive antics ahead of the two-match test series against South Africa, starting February 17, at Christchurch’s Hagley Oval.

Jamieson, who rose to third in the test bowling rankings this week, is another indiscretion away from a suspension after his third ICC Code of Conduct breach in just over a year, taking his cumulative demerit points to three.

The 2.03m seamer hit the headlines in New Zealand’s second test win over Bangladesh, which levelled the series at 1-1, being fined and handed a demerit point for his verbal send-off to batter Yasir Ali. He was also fined 15 per cent of his match fee.

When a player reaches four or more demerit points within a 24-month period, the player is suspended. Another breach would see Jamieson miss a test or two ODIs or two T20s – whichever comes first.

Jamieson used inappropriate language after dismissing Yasir, who top-scored with 55 in the first innings in Christchurch. His choice of language was deemed capable of provoking ‘‘an aggressive reaction from a batter’’.

Stead wasn’t making excuses for Jamieson’s behaviour and said he needed to be smarter in the heat of the moment. He wasn’t the only one in world cricket who was getting animated at the bowling crease, and firing off verbals at batters.

‘‘The rules are there in place and Kyle has overstepped the line, but I’m sure he’s not the only person in the game [doing it],’’ Stead told Sunday News.

‘‘I just find it frustrating he seems to be becoming more of a target than what other people are.

‘‘I think Kyle did something that’s probably a bit silly, but I think it happens a lot in the match. He sometimes becomes a target because he’s a big guy and it’s easy to see him.’’

Jamieson, who has enjoyed a meteoric rise since first representing New Zealand in February 2020, is developing a reputation for his fiery demeanour.

His previous breaches were in a March 2021 ODI against Bangladesh in Christchurch and a December 2020 test against Pakistan at Mount Maunganui.

‘‘We have to talk to him around it because the danger for us now is if he gets another one he gets suspended for a test match and we certainly don’t want that because it will have an effect on the team,’’ Stead said.

In a 2020 interview, Jamieson said he had worked hard to dial back his emotion on the field. He had sometimes found himself questioning his own actions in the middle.

‘‘I’m a pretty fiery character, I’m pretty aggressive, and I think it just sort of came out in ways that I didn’t necessarily like.

‘‘I’d do it, then post-game be like ‘What am I doing that for?’.’’

New Zealand were fortunate Neil Wagner escaped punishment from match referee Jeff Crowe in the first test, where they suffered a shock eight-wicket loss to Bangladesh.

Wagner was livid TV umpire Wayne Knights

denied him the wicket of captain Mominul Haque in the first innings, ruling the delivery was a no-ball.

‘‘If my foot is there like that, that’s touching the ground, it’s not a no-ball,’’ Wagner was heard saying on the on-field microphones, before some expletives were broadcast live on Spark Sport’s coverage. ‘‘That’s f . . . ing bullshit.’’ World test champions New Zealand, second in the ICC test rankings, will be out to create history against South Africa, who are ranked sixth.

New Zealand have never beaten South Africa in a test series, with the Proteas winning 13 from 16 with three series drawn.

It has been nearly 18 years since New Zealand last beat South Africa in a test – winning by nine wickets at Eden Park in 2004, where Chris Martin took 11 wickets in the match and Scott Styris and Chris Cairns scored hundreds. South Africa have won 10 tests against New Zealand since that result with six draws.

‘‘We haven’t beaten South Africa in a test series and I know it’s something the guys are pretty determined about, so I’m looking forward to what they’ll bring,’’ Stead said.

‘‘South Africa are a similar looking side and makeup to what we are. They’ve got pace bowlers who hit the wicket hard and they’ve been really competitive with India.’’

South Africa’s four-pronged pace attack of Lungi Ngidi, Kagiso Rabada, Marco Jansen, and Duanne Olivier performed strongly against India’s talented batters. Stead anticipated they would be a handful on New Zealand wickets.

‘‘We’re going to have to be well-disciplined with the bat and clear in the way we prepare.’’

‘He sometimes becomes a target because he’s a big guy and it’s easy to see him.’ BLACK CAPS COACH GARY STEAD ON KYLIE JAMIESON, ABOVE

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2022-01-16T08:00:00.0000000Z

2022-01-16T08:00:00.0000000Z

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